Cover operator and holder for garbage cans and the like



Jan.` 19, 1 932. H. L. scRuToN 1,842,210

`COVER OPERATOR AND HOLDER FOR GARBAGE GANS AND THE LIKE Filed May 15,192s Patented Jan. 19, 19732 UNITED STATES .PATENT or-Flcls COVEROPmTo'AND HOLDER FOR GARBAGE CANS AND THE'LIKE Application illed, lay15, 1929. Serial No. 363,162.

Itis the object of this invention to provide ,a novel and improved`cover operator and can holder for garbage cans and the like,

which can be used in conjunction with cansl [l of diierent types andsizes to prevent the cans from being upset and the contents spilled, andwill ermit the covers of the cans to be readily lifted from and seatedon the tops of the cans and will also releasably lock .10 the covers ofthe cans in place, when closed,

ings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similarparts throughout the various views, and, in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan View of an embodiment of the invention applied to agarbage can, certain ofthe parts being broken away to show theconstruction thereof; f Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the deviceas shown in Fig. 1, certain of the movable parts being shown in fulllines' in one positlonand in dotted lines in another posil tion, andcertain other of the parts being 80 broken away to more clearly show theconstruction thereof; v

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 asindicated by the arrows, the vgarbage can being 'illustrated in dottedlines, and Fig. '4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig.3, as indicated by the arrows. Referring to the drawings, in accordancewith the present invention, a suitable standard 5 is provided which, asillustrated, may consist of a vertical pipe driven into the ground or itmay consist of any other suitable support. A collar 6 is mounted on thestandard 5 adjacent the lower end thereof, and is vertically adjustablethereon by means of a set screw 7, to stand in spaced relation above theground. The collar 6 has formed integral therewith, or secured thereto,a vertically split horizontal supporting arm 8, and 5 a short diagonallyinclined portion 6a of the collar runs downwardly from the top of thecollar to the rear portion of the arm 8. The rear end of an extensiblebar 9 is carried in a central groove 8a in the arm 8 and the two sidesof the arm 8 are rabbeted to receive two bendable side bars 10. A nuttedbolt 11 runs through the side bars 10, the arm 8 and through a centralhorizontal slot 9a in the rear end of the bar'9, and this bolt holds thesaid parts together and permits extension of the bar 9 from the arm 8when the bolt 11 is loosened. An upwardly projecting lug 13 is securedtothe forward end of the bar 9 and an aperture is provided in thislugfor reception of a chain. Upwardly projecting lugs 12A are secured tothe outer ends of the bars 10 and these bars are curved to extendlaterally from the central bar 9. The arm 8 and bars. 9 and 10, togetherwith the lugs 13 and 12, and the inclined portion 6a of the collar 6,form a base for supporting'a can, such as the garbage can 14. This baseis adjustable to fit cans having bottoms of various sizes. The bar 9 isextensible from the arm 8 to vary the spacing betweenfthe lug 13 andtheinclined ortion 6a, and the bars 10 may be variably ent to extend atdifferent angles relativelto the central bar 9, so that the lugs 12 maybe engaged against the side edges of the bottoms of cans of varioussizes. .The usual type of garbage can 14 now commonly employed, isprovided with a iange 14a which projects downwardly below the bottom ofthe can and in order that the can may be securely held on the base soprovided to prevent the can from raising upwardly when the cover 15 israised, a U-shaped latch member 16 is provided and this latch member ispivoted to the forward end of the bar 9. The upper ends of the latchmember 16 are pointed and curved outwardly and the lower portion of thelatch member below the pivot thereof is curved slightly outwardly, sothat the weight of the lower .portion of, the latch member will normallyforce the upper pointed ends of the latch member into a slot cut in theflange 14a of the garbage can. The latch member 16 can be detached fromthe can 14 by merely raising the lower end of the latch member 16upwardly.

A collar 17 is secured to the top of the standard 5 and formed integralwith or secured to the collar 17, are a pair of laterally and slightlyrearwardly projecting arms 18 forming spaced pivot bearings for a pin 19A pair of arms 20 are secured to the ends of pin 19 and normally projectforwardly therefrom to overlie the top of a can, such as the can 14supported on the base. The arms 20 are inwardly curved adjacent theirforward ends and are secured together at their forward ends in spacedrelation by means of a handle 21. Slots 20a are cnt in the two arms 20and extending through these slots are the reduced ends of a pair oftransverse rods 22. Small angle brackets 23 are provided through whichthe rods 22 extend. and these angle brackets will be secured as by meansof nutted bolts 24 to the cover 15 of the garbage can. The collar 6 willbe so adjusted on the standard 5 that when the can 14 is supported onthe base and the cover 15 is properly seated on the top of the can, thearms 20 will be horizontally disposed and the rods 22 will be slid totheir forwardmost positions in the slots 20a. A 'short cover positioningplate 25 is secured to the forward side of the collar 17 to extendadjacent the lower edge of the cover 15 of the can, and this plate 25will be made of bendable material, so that when the device isbeing/fitted for use in holding a particular can, such as the can 14,the lower end of the plate 25 may be bent slightly Jorwardly until itjust bears against the lower edge of the cover 15 for the can when thecover is properly seated on the top of the can. Formed integral with orsecured to one side ot the collar 17 is a beveled tooth 26 and aweighted pawl 27 is pivot-ed on a cross rod 28 secured to and ruimingbetween the two arms 20, to co-operate with the tooth 26. An operatingrod 29 for the pawl 27 is pivotcd to the pawl adjacent its lower end andis adapted to run rearwardly over the cover 15 of the can beneath therods 22, and between the two sets of brackets 23 to a point adjacent thehandle 21 where the rod is provided with a loop. A stop member 30 issecured to and projects upwardly and rearwardly from the upper collar 17to act'against the rod 28 and limit upward and rearward swingingmovement of the frame formed by the arms 20, pin 19 and associatedparts.

In setting up the device for use in connection with a particular can,the bars 9 and 10 of the base will be first adjusted to fit the bottomof the can and the lower collar 6 will be adjusted on the standard 5 bymeans of the set screw 7 until the cover 15' of the can lays in properposition when applied to the top of the can, so that the angle brackets24 may be applied to the cover 15 by means of the bolts 24 when thearms20 are horizontally disposed. The plate 25 will then be properly bent tostrike the lower edge of the cover 15 when the cover is seated on thetop of the can, and the device will then be ready for use.

When the cover 15 is seated on the top of the can, the weighted pawl 27will engage with the tooth 26 to releasably lock the cover in place andprevent dogs, cats and other animals from raising the cover of the canand stl-owing garbage or other contents of the can around the yard wherethe can is situated. When a housewife, or other party, desires to raisethe cover 15 of the can, in order to dump garbage into the can, she willgras the handle 21 with one hand and apply lier finger through the loopat the forward end of the pawl operating rod 29. By pulling the rod 2!)towards thehandle 21, she may disengagc the pawl 27 from the tooth 26,whereupon she can lift the cover of the can 15 by merely raising theframe formed by the arms 20 and associated parts from the full lineposition shown in Fig. 2 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2,the stop 30 acting to limitthe raising movement. As the'arms 20 areraised, the rods 22 will slide rearwardly in the slots 20a, therebypermitting the cover 15 to he raised from the top of the can withoutcausing the cover to bind on the upper edge of the can. When the frameis raised to the position indicated in dotted lines Fig. 2, the rods 22which carry the cover 15 will have slid hy gravity downwardly to thelowest extreme position in the slot-s 20a. In lowering the can, due tothe fact that the rods 22 are downwardly slid in the slots 20a when thecover 15 is upwardly raised, the lower rear edge of the cover willstrike the directing plate 25 as thc cover approaches the top of the can14. The plate 25 will act to slide the cover forwardly, while it is beinseated on the top of the can, the slots 20a a lowing the rods 22 to moveforwardly to permit this movement of the cover 15. In this manner, thecover 15 may be readilyy and properly seated on the top of the can. Asthe cover is seated, the weighted pawl 27 will enga e with the tooth 26.The latch 16 will hold t e base of the can securely in place to preventY upward movement ofthe can when the cover 15 is being raised.

When the garba is to be dumped the cover can be raise whereupon thearbage collector can press the lower end oft e latch 16 upwardly withhis foot to dsengage the latch from the lower end of the can 14, to

permit the ready removal thereof. In ut.

ting the can bapk in place after it has een emptied, the diagonallyinclined surface 6a will permit the bottom of the can to slide readilyin place on the base so that the can will be properly seated.

If it is desired to lock the can in place at any time, a chain such asthe chain 31 may be drawn through the aperture in the lug 13 and aroundthe handle 21, and the two ends The device is cheap in construction andis `simple in operation. It is practically universally adjustable sothat cans or other con tainers of practically any height and diamv etermay be accommodated. PreferablyY the various'separate parts of thedevice which are assembled together will be Aspot welded, so that theparts' cannot be taken apart or stolen. The base of the device willsupport the can well above the ground and accordingly the lower portionof the can will not rot and rust out in the manner of cans supported onthe ground, and access can be had to the ground beneath the can to moworclean the same.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and roportions of the various partswithout dii sco e of the present invention.

hat is claimed is:

1. A cover operator for garbage cans and the like, comprising a support,an arm pivoted to said support for swinging movement y over the can, aloose sliding connection for` connecting said arm to the cover of thecan to permit limited relative sliding movement between the cover andthe arm and a directing member for sliding the cover on the arm topermit the cover to be properly seated on the top of the can when saidarm is lowered.

2. A cover operator for garbage cans and the like, having in combinationa support, an arm pivoted to said support and mounted to be swungdownwardly over the top of the can and fto be swung upwardly from thecan, a loose sliding connection for attaching the cover of the can tosaid arm, and means for sliding the cover on said arm when said arm isdownwardly swung, to seat the cover on the top of the can.

3. A cover operator for garbage cans and the like, having in combinationa support, an

arm pivoted to said support and mounted to be swung downwardly over thetop of the can and to be swung upwardly from the can, a loose slidingconntion for attaching the cover of the can to said arm, means forsliding the cover on said arm when said arm is downwardly swung, toseatv the cover on thetop of the can, and a co-operating tooth and dogadapted to be engaged with each other when the cover is lowered to lock.the cover in position and adapted to be released from y each other topermit the cover to be raised.

4. A cover operator for garbage cans and the like, having incombination, a suitable standard adapted to be positioned adjacent thetop of a can, an armpivoted to vsaid standard and adapted to be swungdownwardly to overlie the top of the can and to be raised upwardly toone side of the can, said arm having a slot therein, a pin adaptedparting from the to be secured to the cover of the can and extendingthrou h saidl slot to permit sliding movement of t e, cover of the canrelative to said arm when the arm is raised and lowered and a directingmember adapted to engage the cover of the can to slide the coverrelative to said arm as the arm is lowered and permit the cover to beproperly seated on the to of the can.

5. cover operator for garbage cans and the like, having in combination,a suitable standard adapted to be positioned adjacent the top of a can,an arm pivoted to said standard and adapted to be swungdownwardly tooverlie the top of the can andto be raised upwardly to one side of thecan, said arm having a slot therein, a pin adapted to be secured to thecover of the can and extending through said slot to permit slidingmovement of the cover of the can relative to said arm when the arm israised and lowered, a directing member adapted to en ge the cover of thecan to slide the cover re ative to said arm as the arm is lowered andpermit the cover to be properly seated on the top of the can, a toothsecured to said standard and a weighted dog mounted on said arm andadapted to automatically engage with said ltooth to lock the cover ofthe can in place when said arm is lowered.

6. The structure defined in claim 5, a handle mounted at the free end ofsaid arm and a dog operating member secured to said dog limited slidingmovement of' the cover on the arm and a plate acting to slide the coverrelative to said arm when the arm and cover are lowered to Adirect thecover on to the top of the can. v

8. A holder and cover operator for garbage cans and the like, comprisinga. suitable.

standard, a base mounted on said standard for vertical adjustment andupon which a can is adapted to be seated, an arm pivoted at the upperend of said standard and adapted to be swung downwardlyover the top of acan seated on said base and to be swung upwardly to one side of the can,a loose sliding secured to the'upper'end of said standard' and adaptedvto engage the cover of said can as said arm is lowered to slide thecover on said arm and permit the cover to'be properly seated on the topof the can. 9. A -holder and cover operator for garbage cans and thelike, having in combina- 5 tion a suitable standard, a base mounted onsaid standard and adjustable to support cans of various sizes, an armpivoted to the upper end of said standard and adapted to be swungdownwardly to overlie the top of a can supported on said base and to beswung upwardy to one side of such a can, a loose sliding connection forsecuring the cover of a can4 supported on said base to said arm topermit sliding movement of said cover relative to the arm as the arm israised and lowered, a directin r plate adapted .to act against the covero the can to slide the arm relative to said arm as the arm is lowered topermit the cover to be properly seated on the top of the can and a`tooth and pawl lock adapted to be automatically engaged when said armis lowered to lock the cover of the can in place and means fordisengaging said lock to permit said arm to be raised.

u 10. A cover' operator for garbage cans and the like comprising asupport, a frame pivoted to said su port for swinging movement over theto o a can, and to one side of the can, said rame havm yslots therein,rods v mounted in said slots or sliding movement therein, membersconnected to said rods and adapted to be secured to the cover of thecan, whereby as said frame is raised from the top of the can said rodsmay slide inl said slots ,l5 to permit relative movement between saidframe and said cover and to permit said cover to be carried by gravitytowardv the' pivot point of said frame and a cover directing plate sodisposed that as said `frame is 4 lowered, said late will strike aportion of the cover to slide the same against the force of gravityrelative to said frame to properly .seat said cover on thetop of saidcan.

11. A holder and cover operator for garbage cans and the like comprisinga suitable standard, a base mounted on said standard and upon which acan is ada ted to be seated, an arm pivoted to said stan ard and adaptedto overlie the cover of a can seated on said o base, a loose slidingconnection for connecting the cover of the can to said arm to permitlimited sliding movement of the cover relative to the arm, a plateacting to slide the cover relative to said arm when the arm and coverare lowered to direct the cover on to the top of the can, and means onsaid base for engaging the bottom of thecan to prevent the can from beinraised with the cover as said arm is raise In testimon whereof I ax mys' ature.

H REWARD L.- SCRU ON.

